MC CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Halloween!!!

October 30th- November 1st

The weekend of Halloween I got to go to the Gunma prefecture and meet my host family! When I got on the bus preparing for the 2 hour drive to Gunma I was so nervous!!! I was going to stay with strangers for a whole weekend.....
When all of the international students arrived at Gunma they took us to a small shrine, where we would have a actual tea ceremony and then our host families would pick us up.
The tea ceremony was incredibly interesting!!! The time and perfection of the tea was amazing!!! I've never seen anything like it!! (AND THE SWEETS!!!!)
As I waited for my host family to arrive I talked with the other international students and many of then were going as groups of two. (Why was I alone) This made me even more nervous... not to mention one of the advisers told me my host family didn't understand any English,,,,,
When my name was finally called I didn't know what I should do (I couldn't go back to my room...). I gathered my bag and the present I got for them and left the room full of my friends. My host mother and sister were waiting for me by the door so I put on my shoes and walked outside. I introduced myself in the best Japanese I could and my host mother must have known I was nervous because she replied clearly and kind of slowly for me to understand. I was expecting to just put my bag in the car and leave but my host mother said she was waiting for another international student. I was surprised because I was suppose to be alone. However, I was going to their house alone, but my host family car pulled with their neighbor. As we wait for their neighbor my host sister and I talked with each other (sometimes it was hard to understand her because she spoke really fast). She told me she likes gymnastics so I told her I could do a flip and she wanted to see it so I guess you could say we were going to get along well! When the other host family come out with Jackie (my friend and perfect Japanese) I felt a lot better!
The car ride to their house was so much fun I got to learn a kid game from Jackie's host sister and mine! After a few tries I could even sing part of the song too!!
We dropped Jackie and her host family off and then we to my host family's house! When we got there my host mother said that my host brother should be home and I could talk to him! It turns out he's really shy and didn't want to talk much so instead I found a psp and it had no name so I asked my host mother if it was mine. She understood that I was joking so she said I could have it, this got my host brother to talk to me! After talking with my new younger brother and sister, mom said dinner was ready so we prepared to eat (and take TONS of pictures)! My host father arrived at the house kinda late but I was excited to meet him (totally different from being nervous that morning)! After I introduced myself to him, I got the gift I bought for them and thanked them for allowing me to be there! I learned that living with a family is sooo different from living in an apartment. (It was so far from my comfort zone....)
On Halloween I didn't know what to expect. It was different from what we do in America that's for sure. Mom said that my younger brother had school but my sister was skipping today to spend time with me. Mom had planned to go to the zoo/ theme park with their neighbors!!! (which meant Jackie too)!!! Mom, Rina, and I left the house around 11am and picked up their neighbors! (Jackie's host sister also skipped XD)
At the zoo/ theme park I think we only took 100 pictures or more! I got to learn the names of many different animals in Japanese, which was the best!!! My sister and I went on all the rides!! We even posed at every picture/ attraction they had! My sister said she like the white tiger the most so before we left I got her a white tiger plush toy because she's just the cutest, sweetest girl EVER!!!!!
When we were getting ready to leave mom asked if it was okay if we had dinner at Jackie's host family's house. I was shocked that she asked me, because I ws okay with anything. (it's not like I was going to say no haha)
When we go to Jackie's host family's house, the girls went upstairs while the moms prepared dinner and the dads chatted and the boys watched t.v. When dinner was ready Jackie and I sat with the adults and spent time getting to know each other. After dinner our host sisters wanted to play a game, so I suggested we play the human knot (but four people is too small). We made the boys join! (they acted like they didn't like it). When our host parents seemed interested in it so everyone was playing and we all were laughing about how confusing it can be. We played many different games till it was late and I had to go to my host family's house.
The morning of the last day was a little sad but very relaxing! My host parents and I sat outside in the sun and just talked! Then we went back to the shrine where they picked me up for lunch with all the other students and their families. There I got to play taiko drums and teach my sister to do a back bend. The lunch lasted for about 3 hours, but I wish I could have stayed longer.
When it was time for me to get on the bus to leave my sister started to cry and I was sooo sad. I asked mom if it was okay if I could come back and visit. She told me that Christmas break would be great!(looks like I will have a family this Christmas!!!) I hugged my mom, dad, brother, and sister goodbye, and returned back to my apartment. I can't wait till I see them again!